Graduate student Emily Nihiser has been honored by the U.S. Department of Energy as the 2025 recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award in Energy Engineering by an Industrial Training and Assessment Center (ITAC) Student.
ITAC delivers no-cost energy assessments to small and medium-sized manufacturers across Ohio, providing customized recommendations to reduce electricity, natural gas, and water consumption. In addition to identifying opportunities for energy savings, ITAC teams often suggest process improvements that enhance manufacturing efficiency. The program supports workforce development and innovation through engineer training and energy efficiency research.
Dr. Jun-Ki Choi, UD-ITAC director and professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, nominated Nihiser for the award. From Representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy review nominations and select the student award recipients.
“Emily distinguishes herself through practical curiosity, rapid learning in real industrial settings, and an ability to connect traditional energy assessment methods with modern smart manufacturing practices,” Choi said in his nomination letter for Nihiser. “From the beginning of her work with UD-ITAC, she has shown a strong ability to ask the right technical questions, organize complex facility information, and understand how data, equipment operation, and manufacturing practices interact.”
Nihiser began as an undergraduate intern with UD-ITAC, and developed quickly through assessment work. She has participated in 37 on-site energy assessments. Her work has included pre-assessment preparation, utility data review, baseline development, field data collection, analysis of industrial energy systems and preparation of final technical reports.
Outside of class, Nihiser serves as the president of the University of Dayton ASHRAE Student Chapter. In this role, she encourages peer engagement in energy systems, HVAC, building performance, and professional engineering activities.
After graduation in May 2026, she continued at UD for her master’s degree and immediately assumed the role of UD-ITAC lead engineer, an uncommon achievement for a student transitioning directly from undergraduate study into graduate level ITAC leadership.
This is the fourth year in a row that a UD student has been recognized with this award.